We love their cosy and colorful property Uptown on Palace Road, but when we learned that LoCul Hostel had a new space we were obviously curious. And thrilled when we found it was on Church Street, and naturally called, LoCul Central! Smack opposite Empire Hotel, it really does not get more central than that! With five floors and a terrace space, this one is ideal for business folks in town for just a few days, or even for long stay if you want in on the (limited) action of the city. I especially love it for its proximity to Cubbon Park!
With modified rooms and dorms to fit the current situation, there are 2-person women’s only dorms starting at just INR 499 a night, and the 3-person mixed ones for the same price. Smartly, the bunk beds have been converted into bunk-study tables. So hop off the top bed, and voila, settle into work on the bottom. If you want to check into a private room, those start at INR 999, and are surprisingly spacious. My favourite part of the hostel is the rooftop space that doubles up as a common use kitchen and dining area too. With picnic tables, umbrellas and wall desks too, it’s great for social distance hangouts, as well as makes for workstations under the sun. Breakfast (at a fee) is also available, and it's perfectly had with a hot cup of coffee while soaking up Vitamin D.
What I give the Lo.Cul folks extra points for is that they try and make guests as comfortable as possible, and in the style of their name (local and cultural), you can sign up for tours, walks and experiences around the city. They're a bunch of friendly folks who will happily sit for a chat about things as varied as football, the Alps, Ohio State University, backpacking in Laos and most importantly, about namma Bengaluru!
For those coming in from out of town, or just want a safe staycation, you’ll be happy to know the check-in and check-out procedures are all contactless, and the payments are all done online. Of course, if you’re coming in from a high-risk zone, a Covid Negative certificate is required, that is not more that 48 hours old. Then, thermal scanning, luggage sanitistion, wellness kits (comprising masks, sanitizers and immunity booster drinks too!) are all taken care of on arrival.